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[DanielCoffey]

If I discover gem veins in the walls and floor (Z-1) as I am digging out living quarters, can I extract the gems then cover the gaps up afterwards (with stone or blocks) in a way that will still look neat and allow smoothing and engraving in the future?

[Ruhn]

You can build walls (block or raw stone) out of the same material as the surrounding walls.  They will be "smooth" but engraving wasn't possible last I checked.

[PatrikLundell]

As Ruhn said, you can't engrave built walls. An alternative to building with the same kind of stone is to dig it all away and build walls out of whatever material you want (and have access to). Walls and floors built out of stones and blocks of the same material look exactly the same, so there's no visual difference between the two. Obviously, blocks give you more wall for the stone, though.

[GhostDwemer]

You'd need to cast obsidian in the spots to be able to engrave them. That would require creating a form around the hole, putting in a magma safe bridge or hatch and pumping magma a level above it, and another bridge or hatch then pumping water a z-level above that.  Temperature also needs to be enabled for obsidian casting to work. It's a lot of work. You're better off just patching with blocks.

[Dadamh]

You'd need to cast obsidian

I didn't even think of that.  I guess that would work, if you don't mind it costing many times the time and effort that digging out a gem or two would gain money.

I think just going with smoothing and not engraving is best, unless you consider just leaving the gem walls in.  Gem walls add value anyway.

[DanielCoffey]

I understand now, thanks.

I had wondered if mining a gem out of a granite wall or floor could be covered up by replacing the new void with a matching stone or block. As you pointed out, the wall would then be "smooth" and not suitable for engraving.

I don't need to be worried about obsidian casting yet. I had just wondered if infilling was simple or if there was a reason not to do it.

[PatrikLundell]

And regardless of the OP not needing obsidian casting yet, it can be pointed out that for limited volumes mine cart hauling for the magma and an old fashioned bucket brigade for the water is sufficient.
However, it's still a lot of work, regardless of the method used.