Quoted from Mtkst19:I'd love a "mint" play field. But realistically I wanna play the game not collect dust because of afraid of wearing it. My playfield is not terrible. So if I can slow down the wear to the point I wont need to hardcap any time soon it I'm ok with that.
Another avenue to consider is getting your playfield clear coated. This depends on your being able to find someone who will do it, but a woodworking shop or auto body shop - any place with a spray booth - would probably be willing to help you out.
It isn't a whole lot more work than what's involved in installing a playfield protector, and you get the advantage of a playfield where the art has been locked down (no flaking paint, for example, especially if your playfield has any planking), and if you ever want to restore the playfield, you've got step one taken care of and can play the game without deteriorating it further.
I have a playfield protector on my Diner because I was curious to try it out, and it really does play nicely. They seem to take a while to "break in", I think because of a residue from the film you have to peel off. I keep mine waxed; many people would debate me on it, but it definitely makes a difference in terms of speed - but the downside of the protectors is any dirt or hair (or stray wax) that gets under the protector is there to stay until you depopulate the playfield again and pull up the protector to clean. So, to my mind, shooting the playfield with clear is a tidier solution, but you have to be able to spray the clear safely.
From the "too much information" file...