I read Vids play field restoration guide after having done a play field that was in retrospect a relatively easy restore... so I didn't clear the play field after cleaning it, and proceeded to throw down a few beautiful stencils I had custom cut- sprayed color- peeled up the stencil and almost all the paint under it came with it! DOH!
Live and learn... this was a few years ago... I can only now admit to this. CLEAR COAT BEORE STENCIL.