Superior WCT2042WSI 42" Louvered Wood-Burning Firebox, Insulated, White Stacked Refractory Panels
The Superior WCT2042WSI is the 42" louvered model in Superior's WRT/WCT2000 series of indoor wood-burning fireplaces. Rolled louvers above and below its 42" wide, 21-1/2" tall opening make it a circulating fireplace, and it takes an optional fan or blower kit. The firebox is fully insulated and lined on the back, sides and floor with white stacked refractory panels, and the face has a textured powder-coat finish. Mesh fire screens, a log grate and an adjustable outside air damper come with it.
It vents through Superior's 8" double-wall chimney, ordered separately: 8DM standard pipe, or 8HT hi-temp pipe, which is required in Canada. The chimney has to reach at least 14-1/2 feet from the base of the fireplace to the outlet of the cap.
It also accepts vented gas logs, or a vent-free gas log heater with Superior's GA6050 hood, and has gas line knockouts on both sides. For a smooth face with no louvers, see the WRT2042WSI; the 36" size is the WCT2036WSI.
Key Features
- 42" wide, 21-1/2" tall opening; inside, 38-7/8" wide at the front, 25-3/8" at the back and 14-1/2" deep
- Open wood-burning fireplace for indoor installation
- Circulating model with rolled louvers above and below the opening
- White stacked refractory panels on the back, sides and floor
- Fully insulated firebox for colder climates
- Log grate
- Mesh fire screens
- Damper handle inside the firebox
- Adjustable outside air damper, with an outside air kit connection on the left side
- Takes Superior's optional BK variable-speed blower or BK3 3-blade fan
- Textured powder-coat finish
- Uses Superior's 8" double-wall chimney: 8DM standard or 8HT hi-temp
- Approved for vented gas logs, or vent-free gas logs with Superior's GA6050 hood, with gas line knockouts on both sides
- 20 year limited warranty on the fireplace body and firebox
What's Included
- Fireplace with white stacked refractory panels
- Mesh fire screens
- Log grate and grate retainers
- Damper and adjustable outside air damper
- Chimney starter collar
- Ember protector for the front edge
- Electrical housing for the optional fan or blower, with a rocker switch on the face
- Installation and operation manual and homeowner's guide
What to Order With It
Required – Chimney pipe, ordered separately:
Required – Chimney cap (pick one; square tops are for chases only):
- Round top, mesh screen: RT-8DM, or RT-8HT for hi-temp pipe
- Round top, louvered screen: RLT-8DM, or RLT-8HT for hi-temp pipe
- Round top with slip section, mesh screen: RTT-8DM, or RTT-8HT for hi-temp pipe
- Round top with slip section, louvered screen: RLTT-8DM, or RLTT-8HT for hi-temp pipe
- Square chase top: ET-8DM, or ET-8HT for hi-temp pipe
- Square chase top with slip section: ETL-8DM, or ETL-8HT for hi-temp pipe
As your chimney run needs:
Optional:
Specifications
| Model |
WCT2042WSI |
| Order number |
F0690 |
| Type |
Open wood-burning fireplace, factory-built, for indoor installation; louvered (circulating) |
| Fuel |
Wood; also approved for vented gas logs (ANSI Z21.60 or Z21.84) or a vent-free gas log heater (ANSI Z21.11.2) with the GA6050 hood |
| Opening |
42" W x 21-1/2" H |
| Inside the firebox |
38-7/8" wide at the front, 25-3/8" at the back, 14-1/2" deep, 21-1/2" high |
| Outside size |
44" W x 33" H (37-1/2" to the top of the standoffs) x 21-1/8" D, plus a 5/8" face |
| Framed opening |
44-1/4" W x 37-5/8" H x 22" D |
| Chimney collar |
8" inside, 12-3/8" outside, for 8DM or 8HT chimney |
| Liner |
White stacked refractory panels on the back, sides and floor |
| Face |
Rolled louvers above and below the opening |
| Finish |
Textured powder coat |
| Insulation |
Fully insulated firebox |
| Screens |
Mesh |
| Grate |
Log grate |
| Damper |
Handle inside the firebox, at the center toward the back wall |
| Outside air |
Adjustable outside air damper; AK4, AK4X or AK4F kit connects on the left side |
| Fan or blower |
Optional BK variable-speed blower or BK3 3-blade fan; power wiring (not supplied) connects at the side of the fireplace |
| Gas line |
1/2" black iron pipe knockouts on both sides, for gas logs or a log lighter |
| Shipping weight |
180 lb |
| Listing |
UL 127 / ULC-S610 factory-built fireplace (PFS report F09-171) |
| Warranty |
20 year limited (see Warranty below) |
There is no Btu rating for an open wood fire; the heat depends on the wood and the size of the fire. Superior intends it for supplemental heat, not as a replacement for a furnace.
Dimensions and Framing
Fireplace dimensions
| Opening width |
42" |
| Opening height |
21-1/2" |
| Base to the bottom of the opening |
6-1/2" |
| Overall width |
44" |
| Height to the top of the face |
33" |
| Height to the top of the standoffs |
37-1/2" |
| Width at the back |
28-1/2" |
| Depth, not counting the 5/8" face |
21-1/8" |
Inside the firebox
| Front width |
38-7/8" |
| Rear width |
25-3/8" |
| Depth |
14-1/2" |
| Height |
21-1/2" |
Framing
| Opening width |
44-1/4" |
| Opening height |
37-5/8" |
| Depth |
22" |
| Corner installation, along each wall from the corner |
52-1/2" |
| Corner installation, across the front from wall to wall |
72-7/8" |
Slide the fireplace back into the framed opening until the nailing flanges touch the side framing, shim it level and square with sheet metal, and fasten it through the side flanges with screws or nails. Keep 3/4" between the framing and the back and sides (not needed at the nailing flanges); framing can touch the top spacers. Install it square and plumb so glass doors line up.
Installation Requirements
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Chimney parts: use only Superior's (IHP) 8DM or 8HT chimney parts. Other brands void the warranty and the listing. In Canada, 8HT hi-temp pipe and a Cold Air Climate Kit are required; the kit is recommended in cooler parts of the US.
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Chimney height: at least 14-1/2 feet from the base of the fireplace to the flue outlet of the cap for a straight chimney or one with a single offset, and 22 feet with two offsets; 50 feet at most. No more than 6 feet of angled pipe between an offset and its return, and no more than two angled runs. A chimney over 20 feet tall needs its own support.
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Through the roof: the cap must be at least 3 feet above where the chimney leaves the roof and 2 feet higher than any part of the roof within 10 feet. Keep 1" between the pipe and anything combustible, put a firestop spacer at every floor or ceiling the chimney passes through, add a firestop thimble where it goes up into an attic, and never fill a chimney enclosure with blown insulation. Chase tops sharing a chase need 24" between centers and 18" of height difference.
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Clearances: 3/4" at the back and sides (not needed at the nailing flanges), 0" at the top spacers and floor, and a perpendicular side wall at least 12" from the opening. Don't pack the air spaces with insulation.
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Hearth extension: over a combustible floor, a non-combustible hearth extension must reach at least 20" in front of the opening and 12" past each side (66" x 20"), with a thermal conductivity (k) of 0.84 or less per inch of thickness; it can be finished with tile, brick, stone, slate, marble or concrete. Slide the supplied ember protector under the front edge of the fireplace and seal the gap with non-combustible material. On a raised platform, make a Z-shaped ember protector from 28-gauge or heavier galvanized steel that reaches 1-1/2" under the fireplace. On this louvered model, the hearth extension must not block the lower louvers.
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Floor: on carpet, tile or any combustible floor other than wood, set the fireplace on a metal or wood panel covering its full width and depth.
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Mantel and facing: no combustible trim or mantel within 12" of the opening or within 9" of the top louvers, and anything combustible that sticks out more than 1-1/2" must be at least 12" above the top of the opening. Mantel legs can come up to the side edges of the black metal face if their projection stays within the limits shown in the installation manual. Drywall and other combustible board can butt against the sides and top of the face but must never overlap it. Brick, tile and other non-combustible materials can overlap the face, set with non-combustible mortar or adhesive, as long as they don't block the louvers or any other openings.
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Combustion air: the room has to supply enough air for the fire. In a tight house, or one with large kitchen exhaust fans or other equipment that pulls air out, the fireplace can smoke or backdraft; provide make-up air or an outside air kit. An AK4 kit draws air through a sidewall and an AK4F through a vented crawl space; fit it during rough framing. The inlet can't end in an attic or sit higher than 3 feet below the flue outlet of the cap.
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Fan or blower: use only Superior's BK blower or BK3 fan; any other fan or blower voids the warranty. Power wiring (not supplied) connects through the electrical cover plate on the side of the fireplace. The fan runs from a rocker switch at the lower right of the face, and the blower from its own control knob.
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Smoke detectors: Superior recommends them, ideally in a hallway next to the room, or as your local code requires.
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Gas logs: vented gas logs must be listed to ANSI Z21.60 or Z21.84, with the damper removed or locked fully open and any glass doors fully open. A vent-free gas log heater must be listed to ANSI Z21.11.2 and needs Superior's GA6050 hood installed; never run one with the chimney removed, and don't swap the hood for one that comes with the logs. If wood has been burned, have a chimney sweep clean the firebox and chimney first. Gas runs in 1/2" black iron pipe through the knockout on either side, hooked up by a qualified service person and leak-tested with soapy water, never a flame. A certified gas log lighter can also be fitted.
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Glass doors: use only doors certified for this fireplace, and run them fully open or fully closed, never partly open. The tempered glass handles a gradual rise to 550°F; don't build oversized fires, and keep flames off the glass.
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Inserts: don't put a fireplace insert in it unless the insert's maker says it was tested with this fireplace.
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Manufactured homes: it can go in a permanently located manufactured home or a mobile home where local codes allow, but never in a sleeping room of a mobile home.
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Installation: check local codes and permits before you start, and have a qualified installer follow the installation manual.
Frequently Asked Questions
Radiant or louvered: what's the difference?
The radiant WRT2042WSI has a smooth face and sends heat out through the opening. The louvered WCT2042WSI has rolled louvers above and below the opening, which make it a circulating fireplace, and it takes Superior's optional BK blower or BK3 fan. Both have the same opening, firebox, chimney and framing. On the louvered model, the hearth extension can't block the lower louvers and the mantel has to clear the top louvers.
What chimney does it need?
Superior's 8" double-wall chimney (8" inside, 12-3/8" outside): 8DM standard or 8HT hi-temp pipe, plus a round top or chase top cap, all listed above. It must reach at least 14-1/2 feet from the base of the fireplace to the flue outlet of the cap (22 feet with two offsets); the fireplace itself counts for 37-1/2" of that. The cap must also clear the roof by 3 feet and any part of the roof within 10 feet by 2 feet.
Can I burn gas logs in it?
Yes. It is approved for vented gas logs listed to ANSI Z21.60 or Z21.84 (with the damper locked open and any glass doors open) and for vent-free gas log heaters listed to ANSI Z21.11.2, which need Superior's GA6050 black fireplace hood. Superior shows its Crescent Hill, Crescent Hill HD, Golden Oak, Boulder Mountain, Rugged Stack and Wild Timber log sets with this series; check that the set fits inside the firebox (38-7/8" wide at the front, 25-3/8" at the back and 14-1/2" deep). There are gas line knockouts on both sides, and a certified gas log lighter can be installed for wood fires.
Does it need the blower?
No. The fan and blower are optional. The BK variable-speed blower or the BK3 3-blade fan fits this louvered model; plan the power wiring before the walls close, since it connects at the side of the fireplace.
What should I burn?
Dry, seasoned hardwood, ideally seasoned for about a year, and about three logs on the grate at a time; overloading it only adds smoke. Manufactured firelogs are fine if they are made for fireplaces, but don't poke them while they burn. Never burn treated lumber, plywood, driftwood, charcoal, coal, trash or Christmas tree branches, and never start a fire with gasoline, lighter fluid or kerosene.
Does it need glass doors?
No. The mesh screens come with it. The BDB42 bi-fold glass doors are an option; run them fully open or fully closed, and close the screen before closing the doors.
How close can a mantel be?
Keep combustible trim and mantels at least 12" from the opening and 9" from the top louvers, and anything combustible that sticks out more than 1-1/2" at least 12" above the top of the opening. Brick, stone or tile can overlap the face itself.
Anything to know about the first fires?
Let the refractory panels cure for 24 hours, then keep the first three or four fires small. Hairline cracks up to 1/64" wide in the panels are normal. Lock the damper fully open before lighting, and don't close it until the embers are completely out. Have the chimney inspected at least twice a year while you use the fireplace, and cleaned once creosote builds up to 1/8".
Warranty
Superior's 20 Year Limited Warranty covers the WCT2042WSI against defects in materials and workmanship:
- Fireplace body and firebox: 20 years
- Refractory panels and fire screens: 2 years, repair or replacement (hairline cracks excluded)
- Grate: 90 days, defects only (Superior treats grates as a wear item)
- Optional glass doors: 90 days
- Parts not listed: 90 days
- Labor: paid at IHP rates for the covered part's warranty period, up to five years
Vent components, trim, paint and applied stains are not covered, and neither is damage from overfiring. Using chimney parts that aren't Superior's (IHP) voids the warranty. The warranty is for the original owner of a fireplace installed in the US or Canada. Full terms are in the warranty certificate.
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