Quick answer: A cypress log home supplied by The Original Log Cabin Homes and built in central Florida in 2006 endured Hurricane Matthew and later Hurricane Irma. According to a feature published by Log Home Living, the house came through Hurricane Irma with only a small water leak caused by wind-driven rain entering a seam between the roof and wall.
Florida Log Home: Key Facts at a Glance
Year Kelley and Alida Fore’s Florida log home was designed and built.
Approximate finished square footage of the home.
The home was designed with three bedrooms and two full bathrooms.
Cypress logs were selected for the Florida home’s primary log construction.
The home experienced Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma within roughly a year.
After Hurricane Irma, the reported house damage was limited to a small wind-driven rain leak.
Originally featured in: Log Home Living, February 2018 — “Standing Up to the Storm of Storms,” story and photography by Joseph Hilliard. Reproduced and summarized here with permission from the publisher.
A Log Home Built for Central Florida
Kelley and Alida Fore planned their three-bedroom, two-bath log home in 2006 on family property in central Florida near Orlando.
Living in Florida meant severe weather was part of the design conversation from the beginning. According to the published feature, the Fores wanted a home that could stand up to the heat, humidity, heavy rain, and high winds common to the region.
For the primary log construction, they chose bald cypress, a wood species native to the region and valued for its natural resistance to insects, mold, and decay.
Designing With Severe Weather in Mind
The house was not simply built and then tested by a hurricane years later. Severe-weather performance was considered during the original planning and construction.
The Log Home Living article identifies several choices made for the Florida home, including:
- Bald cypress log construction
- Double-pane windows
- Reinforced framing
- A heavier, low-gauge metal roof designed with high winds in mind
- Protective preparation around vulnerable window areas before Hurricane Irma arrived
These details matter because a home’s performance in extreme weather depends on the complete structure, not on one material alone.
The First Test: Hurricane Matthew
Before Hurricane Irma arrived, the home had already been through a major storm.
Hurricane Matthew brought high winds and driving rain through the area less than a year earlier. According to the owners’ account in Log Home Living, the house and its outbuildings came through that storm without problems.
The damage on the property was primarily downed dead trees and limbs rather than damage to the structures themselves.
Then Came Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma presented a much greater threat.
As the storm approached Florida, Kelley and Alida initially felt confident because of their experience during Matthew. But as forecasts showed the stronger storm moving toward their area, they decided to prepare the property and leave.
They protected vulnerable windows before evacuating, including boarding the projecting bay window and covering other glass areas.
They stayed with their son while the storm passed.
What They Found After the Storm
Two days later, Kelley and Alida returned to their property.
The surrounding landscape had taken a beating. Trees and limbs were down throughout the property, electrical power was out, and cleanup would continue for weeks.
Damage to the Log Home
According to the published account, the only reported damage to the house itself was a small water leak caused by rain being driven horizontally into a seam between the roof and the walls.
The home remained standing and usable despite the severe storm and extensive tree damage around the property.
What This Story Does — and Does Not — Prove
This home is a real-world example of a well-planned log home performing successfully through severe Florida weather.
It should not be interpreted to mean that every log home will survive every hurricane without damage. Storm intensity, wind direction, construction quality, building site, roof design, windows, doors, connections, local code requirements, and many other factors influence how any individual structure performs.
What the Fore home demonstrates is that thoughtful design, appropriate materials, proper construction, and preparation can matter substantially when extreme weather arrives.
About the Hurricane-Tested Log Home
| Location | Central Florida, near Orlando |
| Built | 2006 |
| Square Footage | 2,321 square feet |
| Bedrooms | 3 |
| Bathrooms | 2 full bathrooms |
| Log Species | Bald cypress |
| Log Profile | 6×8-inch D-shaped logs with saddle-notched corners |
| Log Provider | The Original Log Cabin Homes, formerly Suwanee River Log Homes |
Why Cypress Made Sense for This Florida Log Home
The owners chose cypress for a reason.
In the original article, bald cypress is described as naturally resistant to insects, mold, and rot and well suited to Florida’s hot and humid climate.
Wood species is only one part of a home’s design, but choosing materials appropriate for the environment is an important part of planning any log home.
Learn more about our available wood species →
Read the Original Log Home Living Feature
This resource is based on the February 2018 Log Home Living feature “Standing Up to the Storm of Storms”, written and photographed by Joseph Hilliard.
The original article includes additional photographs of the home, interior details, the property after Hurricane Irma, and the home’s floor plan.
Read the Original Magazine Feature →
Frequently Asked Questions About Log Homes and Hurricanes
Can a log home withstand a hurricane?
A properly designed and constructed log home can perform well in severe weather, but no construction system can guarantee that a home will survive every hurricane without damage. Performance depends on the complete design, engineering, construction quality, wind exposure, openings, roof system, connections, site conditions, and local building requirements.
Did this Florida log home survive Hurricane Irma?
Yes. According to the February 2018 Log Home Living feature, the Fore family’s central Florida log home remained intact after Hurricane Irma. The reported damage to the house itself was limited to a small water leak caused by wind-driven rain entering a roof/wall seam.
What type of logs were used in the home?
The house was built using bald cypress. The published home details identify 6×8-inch D-shaped logs with saddle-notched corners.
Why was cypress chosen for the Florida home?
The owners selected cypress because of its natural resistance to insects, mold, and rot and its suitability for Florida’s hot, humid climate.
What other storm-resistant features were used?
The published article describes double-pane windows, reinforced framing, and a heavier low-gauge metal roof selected with high-wind conditions in mind. The owners also protected vulnerable windows before Hurricane Irma arrived.
Did The Original Log Cabin Homes build the house?
The Original Log Cabin Homes supplied the log home package. Construction of log homes is performed by independent builders and contractors selected by the homeowner.
Planning a Log Home of Your Own?
Explore our floor plans or contact our team to learn more about wood species, customization, materials, and planning a log home for your building location.
