One way to tenant proof is hardening... another is finding out how to get a great tenant.

Further reading:http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/68041-how-do-you-harden-your-rentalshttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/311/topics/75451-bomb-proofing-rental-propertieshttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/77534-rehabbing-for-rental-propertieshttp://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/52/topics/99325-how-to-make-your-property-indestructible-well-almost

You may need to put on several coats and wait the required time between coats in order to get it to harden - but in the end, you cannot beat the beauty of real hardwood. 

That hardened me a little bit, but I was still reluctant to even serve notices, afraid I would come across as a hard-a$$.  

You'll need to comply with buyers insurance and defensible fire hardening if there's a lender.

In my opinion, repaints like that (sprayed or brushed) are for class C (and some B's) and below.It is sprayed by tradesmen who specialize in re-painting kitchen cabinets.If you use something like Sherwin Williams Super Paint (or even Emerald) Satin, or Benjamin Moore Ultra Spec Satin, it might no last as long as the pro-painter applied paints which have some kind of hardener in them.That being said, some tradesmen can do really nice work (with a lot more labor hours charged than on a standard rental unit respray): https://www.youtube.com/watch?

At least in the rougher areas, you can plan for this and rehab accordingly (harden units, use inexpensive materials  you expect to replace more often, etc.) 

If you pull off the drywall face paper while removing wallpaper, there is a clear impregnating sealer/hardener that will allow you to mud/ sparkle over tears and prime without bubbles at Home Depot.

Neither we nor our borrower, a very experienced battle hardened flipper, had any idea what we were walking into.

wait a minute... maybe don't think that your making stuff too nice, but simply "hardening" your rentals, assuming you intend to keep for a long time.Will basic granit outlast formica and ultimately save you money?