Shrinkflation and filling gaps in plasterboard

[SimonD]

I've just plaster boarded up a ceiling and while doing so realised that plasterboard sheets seem to have shrunk? 

First I thought it was either me or my tape measure and then I twigged the sheets are all actual 2395mm and not 2400 long - my mistake was not taking this missing 5mm into account when I cut short ends of the plasterboard. So rather than waste a load of sheets, I now have some very annoying gaps in my ceiling.

Main question is: what should I fill these gaps with? Drywall join filler or some expanding foam? My sense is drywall filler is more sensible.

The other thing I also realised is that all my sheets are 3mm less than 1200mm some along both the walls and ceilings the screws get closer and close the batten/stud edge.

Is this sheet dimension new or have I just been blind to it before?

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 11:45 by SimonD

[markc]

I thought all plasterboard sheets were about 1/4 inch undersize - I assumed you were supposed to leave a gap to push plaster into (I’m def not a plasterer).

[SimonD]

5 minutes ago, markc said:

I thought all plasterboard sheets were about 1/4 inch undersize - I assumed you were supposed to leave a gap to push plaster into (I’m def not a plasterer).

 

Clearly, I've never measured them properly to begin with 🙄 My assumption was that as with timber products which is what I'm more used to working with, or pipes, you get what's specified. And maybe it explains why I had to get rid of the plasterer I was using? I was just told that gaps above 3mm must be prefilled, nothing about leaving a gap when boarding but he and another did most of the boarding so far. Oh dear!

[Oz07]

I think they're always a bit undersized. They're always designed to be filled or skimmed so suppose it makes sense to be smaller rather than bigger. 

[Mr Punter]

If they are too tight they will snag and you will lose edges, esp if you need to take a board down etc.