Method of making cementitious compositions

A method of manufacturing a cementitious composition comprising:

• dispersing expanded polymeric microspheres into an aqueous liquid to create an aqueous liquid dispersion of expanded polymeric microspheres, wherein the expanded polymeric microspheres are present in the aqueous liquid dispersion in an amount of about 0.1 to about 15 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the liquid dispersion;
• adding the aqueous liquid dispersion to a majority of mixing water for a cementitious composition, to which other ingredients of the cementitious composition are subsequently added, to disperse the expanded polymeric microspheres in the mixing water;
• and
• subsequently adding cement, sand, and stone to said mixing water containing the aqueous liquid dispersion of expanded polymeric microspheres to create a cementitious composition comprising the cement, the sand, the stone, and the expanded microspheres dispersed in the cementitious composition, wherein the expanded polymeric microspheres are present in the cementitious composition in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 3 percent by volume, based on the total volume of the cementitious composition,
• wherein said cementitious composition exhibits a Durability Factor of 65 or greater after 300 freeze-thaw cycles as tested in accordance with ASTM D666.