I think this has more to do with the paint formulatin than it does with the hardboard, assuming you are using Class 4 or 5 hardboard, not the Class 0 junk sold at the big box stores. We specify a 2-part
epoxy industrial floor paint. IF (and that's a big IF) you can keep everyone from painting and spilling paint on the floor (eg: Paint large items in the shop and use
drop cloths under on-the-stage touch-ups; and use painted
stage floor drops for scenes that need a 'not black' floor), then regular cleaning of the
stage with a damp mop and clean water will keep it looking nice for a long time. When you finally have not done the thing I just said to not do, then a light scuffing of the
epoxy finish on the floor will suffice before you paint it again with a 2-part
epoxy industrial floor paint. IMHO
Rosco tough Prime is NOT a good long-term solution, and when you just keep painting it over and over and over and over, you can't expect it to bond layer-to-layer well enough to hold against tape peel-offs.