Superior VRT3500: a louver free vent-free firebox with a 28 inch tall opening for remodels
The Superior VRT3500 is a vent-free gas firebox. A firebox is the steel shell that holds the fire. Your builder frames a wall around it and finishes it in stone, tile, or brick. Vent-free means it needs no chimney or vent pipe at all. It can fit a living room, apartment, or condo remodel where a chimney was never an option. It comes in widths of 36 or 42 inches, with an opening 28 inches tall and the full width of the box. Pick the size on the page. The face is smooth with no louvers, and no hood is required, so your wall finish can run neatly around the opening. On the page you pick the brick pattern for the inside, stacked or herringbone.
It is the firebox only. You add a vent-free gas log set, sold separately, and the logs set the heat. Mesh screens come with it. You can add arched screen doors in textured iron, a blower, and an outside air kit. Check your local code first, since some areas restrict vent-free fireplaces. Need a 30 inch tall opening or a 50 inch width? See the Superior VRT4500 vent-free firebox. The Superior VRT3500 ships free from My Cozy Outdoors with No Sales Tax (except WY) and the full manufacturer warranty.
Specifications
SKU: VRT3536WS | VRT3536WH | VRT3542WS | VRT3542WH
| Attribute |
VRT3536 |
VRT3542 |
| Model |
VRT3536 |
VRT3542 |
| Product Type |
Vent-Free Gas Fireplace |
Vent-Free Gas Fireplace |
| Framing Width |
42-1/4″ |
48-1/4″ |
| Framing Height |
44-1/4″ |
44-1/4″ |
| Framing Depth |
20-1/2″ |
20-1/2″ |
| BTU |
Based on vent-free logs installed |
Based on vent-free logs installed |
| Design Style |
Firebox Only |
Firebox Only |
| View Style |
Front-View |
Front-View |
| Warranty |
20 Year Limited Warranty |
20 Year Limited Warranty |
SPEC, VRT3500 36/42 VF Firebox
FAQ
Does the VRT3500 include a burner or logs?
No. It is a louverless vent-free firebox enclosure with mesh fire screens included; you add any listed ANSI Z21.11.2 vent-free log set sized to the 28 in tall opening. The vent-free logs brochure linked in the Manuals tab lists the compatible Superior sets. See other ventless gas fireplaces that come complete if you prefer.
Which sizes and panels can I choose?
36 in and 42 in models on the Size selector, with stacked or herringbone refractory panels on the Panel selector. Framing is 42-1/4 in wide by 44-1/4 in high for the 36 and 48-1/4 by 44-1/4 in for the 42, both 20-1/2 in deep, and the opening is 28 in tall and full width on both.
Is the hood required?
Not on this model. The Features tab lists the heat deflection hood as optional and not required, unlike the VRT3200, because of the louverless clean-face design. The screen doors on the Screen Door selector come as an arched textured iron door with canopy if you want that finished look.
Does it need a chimney?
No; that is why the description recommends it for renovation, apartments and condos. Nothing runs through the wall or roof. It uses room air for the log set, so the installation manual’s ventilation-air check and local vent-free rules decide placement, and the Outside Air selector adds a ducted kit for outdoor combustion air.
Can I add a blower?
Yes. The Blower selector lists a standard single-speed kit and a variable-speed kit with wall switch, which push warm air out of the radiant firebox; wire power to the unit during framing if you want one. The Accessories row adds exterior touch-up paint and an on/off wall switch.
How much heat will it give?
That depends on the vent-free log set you choose, up to the 40,000 BTU per hour limit that applies to vent-free log heaters, and on what the room can support under the manual’s ventilation-air formula. A smaller set is often the right call for a bedroom-sized room, and your installer runs that check before the logs are ordered.