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                                                                    EXHIBIT 31.1

                    CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

            Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Stephen R. Morrey, certify that:

       1.     I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K/A of Dayton
              Superior Corporation;

       2.     Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any
              untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
              fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
              circumstances under which such statements were made, not
              misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual
              report;

       3.     Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
              financial information included in this annual report, fairly
              present in all material respects the financial condition, results
              of operations and cash flows of Dayton Superior Corporation as of,
              and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

       4.     Dayton Superior Corporation's other certifying officer and I are
              responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls
              and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and
              15d-15(e)) for Dayton Superior Corporation and we have:

              a)     designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
                     such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
                     under our supervision, to ensure that material information
                     relating to Dayton Superior Corporation, including its
                     consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
                     within those entities, particularly during the period in
                     which this annual report is being prepared;

              b)     evaluated the effectiveness of Dayton Superior
                     Corporation's disclosure controls and procedures and
                     presented in this report our conclusions about the
                     effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as
                     of the end of the period covered by this annual report
                     based on such evaluation; and

              c)     disclosed in this annual report any change in Dayton
                     Superior Corporation's internal control over financial
                     reporting that occurred during Dayton Superior
                     Corporation's most recent fiscal year that has materially
                     affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
                     Dayton Superior Corporation's internal control over
                     financial reporting; and

       5.     Dayton Superior Corporation's other certifying officer and I have
              disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control
              over financial reporting, to Dayton Superior Corporation's
              auditors and the audit committee of Dayton Superior Corporation's
              board of directors:

              a)     all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
                     design or operation of internal control over financial
                     reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
                     Dayton Superior Corporation's ability to record, process,
                     summarize and report financial information; and

              b)     any fraud, whether or not material, that involves
                     management or other employees who have a significant role
                     in Dayton Superior Corporation's internal control over
                     financial reporting.

December 12, 2003                        /s/ Stephen R. Morrey
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                                        Stephen R. Morrey
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer

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