EXHIBIT 10.1
                                                                    ------------


                                 FIFTH AMENDMENT
                                       to
                           THE 2000 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                                       of
                           DAYTON SUPERIOR CORPORATION
                           ---------------------------

         Dayton Superior Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company")
hereby amends The 2000 Stock Option Plan of Dayton Superior Corporation, as
amended (the "Plan"), effective as of April 18, 2007, as follows:

         Section 1.  Amendment to Section 4.1 of the Plan.   Section 4.1 of the
Plan hereby is amended in its entirety to read as follows:

         4.1  Eligibility.

                  Any Employee, Director or Consultant selected by the Committee
         pursuant to Section 4.4 shall be eligible to be granted an Option.

         Section 2. Amendment to Section 4.4 of the Plan. Section 4.4 of the
Plan hereby is amended to read as follows:

         4.4  Granting of Options to Employees, Directors and Consultants.

                  (a) The Committee shall from time to time, in its discretion,
         and subject to applicable limitations of the Plan:

                           (i) select from among the Employees, Directors and
                  Consultants (including Employees, Directors and Consultants
                  who have previously received Options under the Plan) such of
                  them as in its opinion should be granted Options; and

                           (ii) subject to the Award Limit, determine the number
                  of shares to be subject to such Options granted to the
                  selected Employees, Directors and Consultants.

                  (b) Upon the selection of an Employee, Director or Consultant
         to be granted an Option pursuant to subsection (a) above, the Committee
         shall:

                           (i) subject to Section 4.3, determine whether such
                  Options are to be Incentive Stock Options or Non-Qualified
                  Options and whether such Options are to qualify as
                  performance-based compensation as described in Section
                  162(m)(4)(C) of the Code;

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                           (ii) determine the terms and conditions of such
                  Options, consistent with the Plan; provided, however, that the
                  terms and conditions of Options intended to qualify as
                  performance-based compensation as described in Section
                  162(m)(4)(C) of the Code shall include, but not be limited to,
                  such terms and conditions as may be necessary to meet the
                  applicable provisions of Section 162(m) of the Code; and

                           (iii) instruct the Secretary of the Company to issue
                  the Option.

                  (c) Any Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan may be
         modified by the Committee, with the consent of the Optionee, to
         disqualify such Option from treatment as an "incentive stock option"
         under Section 422 of the Code.

         Section 3. Amendment to Section 5.3(b) of the Plan. Section 5.3(b) of
the Plan hereby is amended in its entirety to read as follows:

                  (b) No portion of an Option which is unexercisable at
         Termination of Employment, Termination of Consulting or termination of
         service as a Director, as applicable, shall thereafter become
         exercisable, except as may be otherwise provided either in the Stock
         Option Agreement or by action of the Committee.

         Section 4. Approval of Stockholders. This Fifth Amendment shall be
submitted to the stockholders of the Company for approval within 12 months after
this Fifth Amendment is adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company.
Options (as defined in the Plan) may be granted to Directors (as defined in the
Plan) pursuant to the authority granted by this Fifth Amendment prior to
approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company so long as any such
Option provides that: (i) it may not be exercised until such stockholder
approval is obtained, and (ii) it will be forfeited and become null and void if
this Fifth Amendment is either rejected by the stockholders or not approved by
the stockholders within 12 months after its adoption by the Board of Directors.

         Section 5. No Other Amendments. Except as expressly set forth above,
the Plan is not hereby modified or amended and shall remain in full force an
effect accordance with its terms.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Fifth Amendment
as of the date first set forth above.

                     DAYTON SUPERIOR CORPORATION


                     By: /s/ Edward J. Puisis
                         -----------------------------------------
                         Edward J. Puisis
                         Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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