diff --git a/src/js/core/factories/GridColumn.js b/src/js/core/factories/GridColumn.js
index 608fd37f71..3039c707ed 100644
--- a/src/js/core/factories/GridColumn.js
+++ b/src/js/core/factories/GridColumn.js
@@ -464,8 +464,23 @@ angular.module('ui.grid')
       }
     }
 
-    self.minWidth = !colDef.minWidth ? 30 : colDef.minWidth;
-    self.maxWidth = !colDef.maxWidth ? 9000 : colDef.maxWidth;
+    ['minWidth', 'maxWidth'].forEach(function (name) {
+      var minOrMaxWidth = colDef[name];
+      var parseErrorMsg = "Cannot parse column " + name + " '" + minOrMaxWidth + "' for column named '" + colDef.name + "'";
+
+      if (!angular.isString(minOrMaxWidth) && !angular.isNumber(minOrMaxWidth)) {
+        //Sets default minWidth and maxWidth values
+        self[name] = ((name === 'minWidth') ? 30 : 9000);
+      } else if (angular.isString(minOrMaxWidth)) {
+        if (minOrMaxWidth.match(/^(\d+)$/)) {
+          self[name] = parseInt(minOrMaxWidth.match(/^(\d+)$/)[1], 10);
+        } else {
+          throw new Error(parseErrorMsg);
+        }
+      } else {
+        self[name] = minOrMaxWidth;
+      }
+    });
 
     //use field if it is defined; name if it is not
     self.field = (colDef.field === undefined) ? colDef.name : colDef.field;
diff --git a/test/unit/core/factories/GridColumn.spec.js b/test/unit/core/factories/GridColumn.spec.js
index 55980a59d2..6caeb5c3af 100644
--- a/test/unit/core/factories/GridColumn.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/core/factories/GridColumn.spec.js
@@ -560,6 +560,52 @@ describe('GridColumn factory', function () {
       expect(updateCol(colDef.width)).toThrow();
     });
 
+    it ('should set the value of minWidth to 30 when colDef.minWidth is undefined', invalidMinOrMaxWidthDef(undefined, 'minWidth'));
+    it ('should set the value of minWidth to 30 when colDef.minWidth is null', invalidMinOrMaxWidthDef(null, 'minWidth'));
+    it ('should set the value of minWidth to 30 when colDef.minWidth is an object', invalidMinOrMaxWidthDef({}, 'minWidth'));
+
+    it ('should set the value of minWidth to the parsed integer colDef.minWidth when it is a string', function () {
+      colDef.minWidth = '90';
+      col.updateColumnDef(colDef);
+      expect(col.minWidth).toBe(90);
+    });
+
+    it ('should set the value of minWidth to colDef.minWidth when it is a number', function () {
+      colDef.minWidth = 90;
+      col.updateColumnDef(colDef);
+      expect(col.minWidth).toBe(90);
+    });
+
+    it ('should throw when colDef.minWidth is an invalid string', function () {
+      colDef.minWidth = 'e1%';
+      expect(updateCol(col, colDef)).toThrow();
+      colDef.minWidth = '#FFF';
+      expect(updateCol(col, colDef)).toThrow();
+    });
+
+    it ('should set the value of maxWidth to 9000 when colDef.maxWidth is undefined', invalidMinOrMaxWidthDef(undefined, 'maxWidth'));
+    it ('should set the value of maxWidth to 9000 when colDef.maxWidth is null', invalidMinOrMaxWidthDef(null, 'maxWidth'));
+    it ('should set the value of maxWidth to 9000 when colDef.maxWidth is an object', invalidMinOrMaxWidthDef({}, 'maxWidth'));
+
+    it ('should set the value of maxWidth to the parsed integer colDef.maxWidth when it is a string', function () {
+      colDef.maxWidth = '200';
+      col.updateColumnDef(colDef);
+      expect(col.maxWidth).toBe(200);
+    });
+
+    it ('should set the value of maxWidth to colDef.maxWidth when it is a number', function () {
+      colDef.maxWidth = 200;
+      col.updateColumnDef(colDef);
+      expect(col.maxWidth).toBe(200);
+    });
+
+    it ('should throw when colDef.maxWidth is an invalid string', function () {
+      colDef.maxWidth = 'e1%';
+      expect(updateCol(col, colDef)).toThrow();
+      colDef.maxWidth = '#FFF';
+      expect(updateCol(col, colDef)).toThrow();
+    });
+
     function widthEqualsColDefWidth(expected) {
       return function () {
         colDef.width = expected;
@@ -581,5 +627,13 @@ describe('GridColumn factory', function () {
         col.updateColumnDef(colDef);
       };
     }
+
+    function invalidMinOrMaxWidthDef(width, minOrMax) {
+      return function () {
+        colDef[minOrMax] = width;
+        col.updateColumnDef(colDef);
+        expect(col[minOrMax]).toBe(minOrMax === 'minWidth' ? 30 : 9000);
+      };
+    }
   });
 });
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