2x6 joists at the span that you are talking about 16 and 18 are not strong enough to support a floor as a living space.
Attic joists 2x6.
As long as they are not damaged the joists should be strong enough to allow you to move around in the attic for an inspection and to provide storage for typical boxed items.
If your joists are 2x6s or 2x8s they are not adequate for supporting attic flooring in a new living area and the furnishings and humans who will use them.
The 2 6 joists will sag no doubt says danh.
The floor structure of an attic is also the framing for the ceiling beneath it.
2x4 s actual size spaced 16 on center running the width of the building uninterrupted with the ends resting on top of the wall top plate.
With a span like that the timber size that you sister in would have to be at least 2x10 s.
Each joist is strong enough to support my weight 175lbs concentrated in a 1 segment of the joist and.
I d like to double my ceiling joists to make my attic space easier to work in for electrical plumbing and for lightweight storage.
If the joists are larger they might.
Many a garage has been loaded down for decades the way you suggest and out and out failures are rare in spite of the rather inferior garage construction techniques used 60 80 years ago.
In attics built purely for storage purposes you may find 2x6 ceiling joists or in some cases even 2x4 joists.
Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation.
Fine homebuilding notes that 2 inch by 6 inch garage joists will support a weight of up to 50 pounds per square foot.
Flooring for dead loads may not be sufficient for live loads the loads created by people and the features of living space.
Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.
This is made up of ceiling joists typically 2x6 or larger boards.